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Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 368, 8 December 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

Speaking of insurances on the life of the late Mr Byrne, Premier of Queensland, the Brisbane Age says:— The total sum insured was £SOOO, and the total annual premiums amounted to £lls ss. The reversionary bonuses exceeded the annual premium, with the result that when Mr Byrne died the claim value of his four life policies of the totol sum of £SOOO was £6251 63. A further sum of £39 8s being the proportionate bonus for 1898, brings the total value of the policies to £6,290 14s. A more striking iustance of the wisdom of young men insuring their lives early cannot be conceived. Sir Robert Stout on the old ago pensions scheme :—I suppose the Parliament will not disturb pensions once "ranted ; but, in my opinion, it cannot remain in its present unsatisfactory position. I think it is the duty cf Parliament to set about preparing a voluntary scheme at once. Ido not think a voluntary scheme can be compulsory, and that, perhaps, was the delect ot B\r Harry Atkinson's scheme. The. Government, however, if they do not prepare such a scheme, will find the present system so burdensome that, if depressed times come aloug, war with Europe, &*,, they would be unable, with the present system of taxation, to meet obligations, and the power of the people to pay taxes will be lessened, and then there will be trouble. Very few persons can imagine the extent of the whitebait canning iudustry now being carried on in Westport by the two firms engaged iu the business (says thn " News ") Each firm are daily putting through something like 200 kerosene tius of the fish. Nearly all the men, boys, and girls, and even wemen, available, are reaping a grand harvest at 6s 6d per tin. It is not pcuevixlly known that Australia furnishes the largest market for the New Zealand whitebait iudustry. At the present time there is lying ready for export at Wellington from the establishment of one firm alone in Greymouth some 15,000 cases, or 75,000 tins, of th's delicate little fish. The net value of the whitebait canned by the firm in question this season will be cloße on £3OOO. There is an increasing demand for the fish on the other side.